Fence-wire stretcher



o. KONRAD;

FENCE WIRE STEETCEER.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. `21, 1885;.

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CHRISTIAN KONRAD, OF LAOONA, IOWA.

FENCE-VVIRE STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No` 316,153, dated April21, 1835.

Application filed Moy 10, 1834. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRIsTIAN KONRAD, of Lacona, in the county ofW'arren and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Fence-FireStretcher, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to furnish a machine that is adapted to be detachablyfastened to any post in a line of fixed posts, and retained in ahorizontal position at any point of elevation desired, in such a mannerthat it can be readily operated by one person to stretch wire fence pastthe post to which the machine is attached, as required, to fasten theWires to the end post or corner post without first setting an additionalpost or using any extraneous device for supporting the machine.

My invention consists in the construction and combination of a slottedbar that has ratchetteeth on its parallel outside edges, a rack on oneof its inner edges, and a wire-cutting notch and sharp spurs at one ofits ends, a hand-lever carrying pawls to engage the ratchet-teeth a hookto engage a post, Wire-clamping devices, a detachable rope, and adetachable prop, as hereinafter fully set forth.

Figure l of my accompanying drawings is a top View, and Fig. 2 a sideView, showing my machine attached to a post, as required for practicaluse. Together these gures clearly illustrate the construction,application, and operation of my complete invention.

A is a metal bar that may vary in length and weight as desired. It has along slot, No. 1, and a short slot, No. 2, in its center,

and ratchet-teeth on its parallel outsideedges,

and a notched edge in slot No. 2.

B is a hand-lever pivoted to the bar A by means of a sliding fulcrum.

C is a metal loop formed on or xed to the under side of the lever insuch a manner as to inclose the bar A, upon which the loop and leverwill jointly slide.

D is the pivot or fulcrum xed to the loop and lever. An anti-frictionroller placed on the fulcruni-pin engages the edges of the slot, andfacilitates the movement of the lever relative to the bar A and the postto which it is attached.

F F are pawls pivoted to the lever B on opposite sides of the bar A. F2are springs fixed to the lever in such a manner that they will in theirnormal condition press the pawls aga-inst the ratchet-faced edges of thebar.

G is' a plate pivoted to the top of the pin D.

It is adapted in form for carrying eccentrics that are pivoted theretoto engage a fencewire, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

H is a metal hook adapted to engageafencepost. It has a plate, J,riveted to its under side, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and is adjustably connected with the bar A by means of a rivet or screw-bolt, K,that extends through a perforation in its end, through the slot No. 2,and through the end of the plate J, in such a manner that the pin K canbe readily inserted in any one of the notches of the rack formed in theedge of the slot.

L L are sharp spurs formed on the end of the bar A to penetrate a post.

M is a prop pointed at one end to engage a post, and provided with ahook at its other end, to facilitate its connection with the perforatedend of the bar A, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

N is a rope that carries eccentrics at one end to engage a fence-Wire,and a hook at its opposite end, that is adapted to be fastened to theperforated end of the bar A, or tothe prop M.

Pis a notch formed in the edge and end of the bar A in suchfa mannerthat Wire can be placed-therein.

R is a cutting-edge formed on the hook Hin such a manner that the hookcan be used as a shearing-blade to cut off the wire in the notch P.

In the practical operation of my invention, I hold the bar A in ahorizontal position and press the sharp spurs into a post at any pointof elevation desired, place the prop M in position to support it, andthen place the hook H around the post and adjust it in the rackin theslot No. 2, as required to make it clamp fast to the post. I next movethe lever toward the slot No. 2, and then fasten the fencewire that isto be stretched and fastened to the post between the eccentrics carriedon their pivoted bearer G. lVhen the machine is thus connected with thepost, and the fence-Wire with the sliding lever B, I simply pull thelongarm of the lever backward and forward alternately, so that the pawls Fwill alternately be IOO advanced in the racks or ratchet-faced edges onthe opposite sides of the bar A. If the wire is not stretched hardenough when the lever reaches the end of the bar, I attach the rope N tothe end of the bar and clamp the Wire between the eccentrics on the endof the rope, to prevent any backward movement, and then move thelevertoward the post again and take a second hold of the wire andstretch it harder before fastening it to the post by means of staples,or in any suitable way.

I claim as my invention- 1. The bar A, having ratchet-faced edges andSlots Nos.' l and 2, the lever B, having a loop, C, and carrying pawlsF, the pivoted bearer G, carrying wire-clamping devices, the adjustablehook H, and the prop M, arranged and combined to operate in the manner.set forth, for the purposes specified.

edge of slot No. 2, spurs L, and a notch, P,v

the lever B, carrying the Wire-holding device G, and pawls F, the hook HJ K R, the prop M, and the rope N, substantially as shown and described.

CHRISTIAN KONRAD.

Witnesses:

J. A. PoGUE, J. G. WRIGHT.

